Apparatus for laying concrete



March 18, 1952 c. H. SHOOK APPARATUS FOR LAYING CONCRETE 5 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Dec. 23, 1949 Illlllll FIG. 2

RK mo mm W S H S E I. R A H C by dmzw 1.44.

ATTORNEYS March 18, 1952 c, s oo v APPARATUS FOR LAYING CONCRETE Filed Dec. 25. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. H. sHooK 2,589,634

March 18, 1952 V APPARATUS FOR LAYING CONCRETE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.

'CHARLES. H. SHOOK by 667M ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR LAYING CONCRETE Charles H. Shook, Dayton, Ohio Application December 23, 1949, Serial No. 134,740

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus to form a concrete ground slab and concurrently establish a determined grade in the slab.

The apparatus of this invention is particularly adaptable to laying of the concrete ground slab of large drainage lines such as those used in sanitary or storm sewer systems, or in laying the ground slab of large open top drainage ditches or irrigation ditches. When building large drainage lines carrying fluids it is desirable that the ground or floor slab for the line shall have all parts thereof drain toward the center of the line so that all fluids carried in the line will attain a determined velocity even though the flow in the line be a mere trickle. It is also necessary that the ground or floor slab shall have an established declining grade from one end of the line to the other to maintain a determined flow through the line. 7

In the past much manual labor has been required to establish a predetermined grade and ground form to receive a concrete ground slab or floor for a drainage line. Since the ground is used as one side of a form on which the slab is poured, the ground surface must be accurately developed in establishing both the grade for the line and the cross-sectional form to obtain a ground slab or floorthat is of uniform thickness throughout its length and width.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method and an apparatus for laying a concrete ground slab or floor for a drainage line that greatly eliminates need for manual labor in establishing the grade and cross-sectional shape of the ground forming the under-surface of the form for the ground slab.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus which can recurrently make checks of the grade and ground form to determine low spots or high spots in the ground form or in the grade.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for laying a concrete ground slab to a uniform thickness while concurrently forming the upper surface of the ground slab to a desired contour.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for the purposes of the foregoing object wherein the concrete ground slab or floor of a drainage line is provided with short vertically positioned side walls formed concurrently with the formingof the ground slab or floor.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus to form, a concrete ground slab an apparatus to perform the purpose of the foregoing object wherein the wall form for the vertical side wall is used to form the side walls concurrently with the ground slab or floor and provide means for establishing the gradev for the drainage line, the wall forms supporting the apparatus that forms the contour of the upper surface of the floor of the drainage line.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the drawings and the following description.

Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view illustrating the apparatus of this invention in use in forming the ground slab or fioor of a drainage line.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 showing a removable form in which a vertical section is formed concurrently with the forming or shaping of the floor slab of the drainage line.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the apparatus illustrating the mechanism for troweling the floor slab.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the mechanism illustrating the use of the mechanism in concurrently rough forming the upper surface of a floor slab and troweling thereof.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the side wall form illustrated in Figure 2 Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the .apparatus illustrating its use in establishing the ground contour line to be used as the lower formed surface for the concrete ground slab.

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 6 illustrating the feeling rods which indicate correct ground surface contour.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the mechanism illustrating the manner of holding a copper plate in position during pouring of the concrete ground slab.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line l0l0 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus consists of a carriage In that supports a rough forming blade H and a troweling blade [2 so. that as the carriage I is moved longitudinally along the form tracks 3 and M, the lower edge of the rough forming blade II will form the upper surface of a concrete ground slab or floor of a drainage line and concurrently therewith the troweling blade l2 which follows the rough forming blade M will trowel smooth the surface of the ground slab formed by the rough forming blade H. L The carriage l0 consists of a pair of I beams i and I6. The I beam I5 is supported upon a pair of wheels I! while the I beam I5 is sup.- ported upon a similar pair of wheels l8.

Uprights l9 and extend from the I beam |5 I while similar uprights 2| and 22 extend from transversely by plates 5| and longitudinally by a plate 552, thus giving rigidity to the fiat blade 6!). The forward edge 63 of the blade 69 is provided with a taper on the under side thereof, and a corresponding taper is provided on the rear edge 84 of the blade 60.

The troweling blade I2 is supported from an angle bar 65 that is attached to the lower ends of the support bars 4|, 42 and 63, as shown in Figure 3, by means of rods 65. The lower ends of the rods 66 are suitably secured to the reinforcing plates 6|,and the upper ends of the rods are threaded to receive the nuts 5'! positioned on construction.

The uprights 20 and 22 are inter-connected by horizontal angle bars23 and 2 3, and similar angle bars 25 and 26.jointhe uprights l9 and 2|.

The uprights l9 and 20. are joined at their upper edges by. the anglebar 21, and .a similar angle bar 28 joins the upper endslofuprights 2| and 22. Also, the uprights 19 and 29 are inter-connected by an X frame 29, a similar X frame not shown, joining the uprights. 2 Land 22.

Diagon'a'lly placed angle bars 30 and 3| are provided between'the angle bari2 and the uprights 2i! and 22 at theifront side of the carriage whilesimilar angle bars '32 and '33 are provided at the rear wall of the carriage.

The forming blade -|T| positioned at the front wall of the carriage is suspended from the lower end of three anglebars 3'4, and 3'6, the upper ends of which are. attached to the horizontal connecting bars'23 and 24 of the forward wall of the carriage. The support bars 3'4 and 35 for the forming blade H are spaced inwardly of the uprightsjlfl and-.22 whereby to provide channel openings'3l and. 38 adapted to. pass over wall forms '39 and EB, hereinafter described.

The troweling blade carried on the rear wall of. the carriage. .I-ll is similarly supported by the anglefbars M, 42 and 43, thebars 4| and 43 being spaced inwardly of the uprights l9 and 2| in the same'manner .asfithe bars '34 and 36 are spaced from the, uprights 20. and 2|, thus providing a clear channel which can. move over the wall forms '39 and E0.

The forming blade H consists of a flat metal plate '45 that is reinforced by angle bars '55 and ll at the upper and lower edges thereof and by otherflanglebars 48 extending vertically of the plate 45, all bars 15, Hand '48 being placed on the rear face of the plate Bolts. 49 extend between the angle bar 41 .of the plate H and an angle .bar 50 secured to the. lower ends of the support member bars 34,135 and 35, to support the forming blade 'H from the carriage. Spacer members may be located in "the space 5| between the angle bars 41 and59; see Figure 4, to provide for a slight amount of 'vertical adjustment of the blade so as to position it accurately with reference to aground surface beneath the lower" edge of the bladev The lower edge 52 of the forming blade H is shaped tothe contour desired to be placed in the uppersurface of the ground slab or floor of a drainage line, and as shown in the drawings, this lower edge takes the shape of a V form.

The troweling blade l2, more particularly shown in Figures 3 and 4, consists of a flat trowelin gblade Behaving-the same, Vcshaped contour as-the lower :edge 52 of the forming. blade The trowel blade 60 'is' reinforced opposite sides of the ledge formed by the angle bar 65. The threaded rods 66 thus provide means for adjusting the troweling blade 69 vertically relative to the carriage l0 so that the under surface of the blade 60 can be positioned exactly level, or slightly below the level of the edge 52 of the forming blade I I thus providing for a trowelirig action of the blade '60 on the surface of the ground slab or. fiOOr of the drainage line being laid as the carriage moves thereover.

' One or more reinforcing bars 10 extend between the forward wall of the carriage It and the troweling blade |2 to maintain the same in a rigid vertical position. The reinforcing bar or bars 10 have their ends attached to the troweling blade '|'2 by means of bolts 1| extendingthrough slots 12 provided in the end of the reinforcing bar 15 and in'the plates 6|. The slots just mentioned permit vertical. adjustment of the troweling blade assembly I2 relative to the carriage I5, and relative to the support bars 10.

Similar support bars 1.5 extend between the rear wall of the carriage |0 and the forming blade I to rigidly support thesame, and similar bolted connections 16 may be provided.

A pair of angle bars 89 and 8|, see Figure 1, extend between the angle bars 26 and 24, which ineffect provide the upper wall of the carriage H3 together with the bars 21 and 28. The angle bars '89 and 8| support a hand operated winch 52 from which extends a cable 83 that is used to move'the carriage l0 along the form tracks |3 and 14 in a manner hereinafter described.

The side wall forms 39 and 40 cooperate with the carriage H3 and provide the means to support the carriage in'its movement over the ground when forming the ground slab. The wall forms 39 and 49 are constructed alike so that only one of them need be described, these wall forms being more particularly illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 in' which the wall form 39 is illustrated.

The. wall form 39 consists of an angle bar 90 that has a foot 9| bent at "right angles to the bar 9! Angle bars 92, '93 and 94 are suitably connected together so as to form a quadri-lateral having the angle bar 93 spaced a determined distance from the bar 90. An angle bar 95 is welded to the angle bar 90 parallel thereof as shown in Figures 1 and 10, and the bars 95 and 95 are at one end to the support bar 95 by means "of bolts 102 and at the opposite'end to the sup-' 5. port 90 by means of bolts I03 whereby the timbers I and IBI between the supports are joined together by the supports throughout the length of the wall. The quadri-laterals formed by the members 9|, 92, 93 and 94 of the respective supports are joined together by means of an angle bar I suitably welded to each of the supports. The angle bars 90 and 95 are joined together by an angle bar I06 that also provides the form track I3, or the form track I4 to support the carriage I0, as illustrated in Figure 1.

With the carriage I0 supported upon the form tracks I3 and [4, the I beams I5 and I6 are positioned closely adjacent the quadri-laterals of the wall forms 39 and 40 so that the quadri-laterals guide the carriage upon the form tracks I3 and I4, and prevent the same from running off the tracks. The forward edges of the I beams I5 and I6 are provided with inside tapered surfaces I01 and I08 respectively to take care of any slight variation in position of the carriage between one form support and another.

As shown in Figure 2 the timbers I00 and IM form the outer form wall of a vertical wall form. The inner wall of the vertical wall form is provided by a wooden timber IIO that is secured to the lower end of the angle bars I I I which are pivotally carried on the members 93 of each of the wal1 form supports by means of pivot bolts II2. The inner wall form H0 is thus movably supported relative to the outer wall form consisting of the timbers I00 and IOI so that after the vertical wall formed between wall forms is set, the wall forms can be readily removed from the concrete wall. To look the inner Wall form H0 in the position illustrated in Figure 2 a lock pin II5 passes through holes provided in the member 93 and the angle bars I I I.

When forming the ground slab I of a drainage line together with the short vertical wall I25a, it is desired to provide a metal seal which will extend from the ground slab I 25 into the upper vertical wall portion to prevent fluid leakage between the joint between the ground slab and the upper wall portion of the drainage line.

To support a copper metal strip in position to function as a seal strip at the joint between the floor slab and the upper wall portion of the drainage line, brackets I and I3! extend downwardly from each of the members 94 of the wall form supports to which there is attached wood strips I32 and 533 respectively between which there is placed a copper strip I34 held in position by nails I35.

Also, the wood strips i342 and I33 have their outer walls tapered as indicated at I39 and I3! respectively to form a recess in the ground slab I25 which forms a groove into which concrete from the upper wall section will flow upon pouring of the upper wall section and thereby form a tongue on the upper wall section to prevent shifting of the upper wall section relative to the floor slab I25.

vThe wall forms 39 are provided with an angle plate I38 at each end thereof having a hole I39 to'receive bolts for securing together adjacent wall form sections.

When establishing the grade and contour of the ground that is to provide the lower form wall of the ground slab, a series of feeler pins I40 are suspended through openings MI provided in the lower angle bar 46, see Figures 4 and 7, of the rough forming blade II. By moving the carriage I0 over the form tracks I3 and I4, the feeler pins I40 will indicate high and ISO low spots in the ground contour which can then be removed or filled in according to need.

In using the apparatus of this invention to produce a ground slab or floor of a drainage line, the ground at the proper drainageline level is graded tothe desired drainage grade to receive the timbers 91 of the wall forms 39 and 49. This drainage grade is accurately established, as it determines the drainage grade of the upper surface of the ground slab.

Wall forms 39 and 49 are then set in their proper transversely spaced relationship and in parallel position relative to one another,wlth the timbers 91 resting on the drainage grade previously established. Stake pins I50 are then driven into the ground to hold the wall forms 39 and 40 in place. The carriage I0 is then placed upon wall form tracks I3 and I4, and the apparatus is ready to function. To move the carriage I0 along the wall forms 39 and 40, the cable 83 is attached at its free end to a timber, not shown, that may rest upon the Wall forms 39 and 40 between the supports formed by the angle bars 92, 93 and 94 so that turning of the winch 32 will cause the carriage to be drawn forward over the wall forms 39 and 49 on the tracks I3 and I4.

The ground surface form I30 is finished in any suitable manner at a depth below the lower edge of the forming blade II to establish the desired thickness of the ground slab. The contour of the ground surface I60 shall be the same as the contour of the lower edge of the forming blade H to obtain a uniform thickness transversely of the ground slab. To insure uniformity of thickness in the ground slab, the feeler fingers I40 are first moved over the ground surface I 60 after it has been rough formed to indicate high spots and low spots which can be out off or filled in accordingly.

When the contour of the ground surface I60 has thus been established, the feeler fingers I40 are removed from the forming blade I I. Thereafter, the concrete is poured onto the ground in front of the forming blade II in sufiicient quan; tity to form a ground slab of the desired thickness.

The carriage I0 is then moved forward by manual rotation of the winch by workmen standing in the carriage I9. Forward movement of the carriage causes the forming blade II to out the batch of concrete I10, see Figure 4, in front of the forming blade and cause the upper surface of the ground slab to be formed to the contour of the lower edge of the forming blade. Workmen will shovel concrete from the batch in front of the forming blade into the vertical wall forms 39 and 49 to fill them to the upper edge of the wood strips I32 and I33, thu forming a short vertical wall section with the seal strip embedded therein as shown in Figure 2.

As the carriage I0 is advanced, the troweling blade 60 moves over the upper surface of the wall slab I25 to trowel the surface smooth. After passage of the troweling blade 99 over the upper surface of the ground slab I25, any manual finish troweling can be applied to the surface, if such is desirable. 0

When the concrete has set, the wall forms 39 and 49 can be removed by merely pulling pins I I5 from their locking position and pivoting the inner wall form I I0 about the pivot pin II2. This opens up the form and permits it to be removed readily from the short vertical wall section produced between the wall forms. Then'ails I35 must of course first be removed from the wood strips I32 and I33 so that removal of the wall form 39 will leave the copper seal strip I34 in place in the vertical wall section [25a of the ground slab I25.

While the apparatus disclosed and described herein illustrates a preferred form of the invention and method of practicing the invention, yet it will be understood that alterations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that all modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included herein.

. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I .1. Apparatus for forming the ground slab of adrainage line including, wall forms positioned inspaced parallel relationship, each of said wall ,forms comprising an outer wall including track means carried by the outer wall, support means forming a part of said outer wall and projecting to one side thereof opposite that of said track means on the said wall, an inner wall supported by said support means in spaced relationship to said outer wall and having the lower edge thereof positioned above the lower edge of said outer wall a distance equal to that required to establish a predetermined thickness of a ground slab, a quadrilaterally arranged carriage frame having rollers supporting the frame on said track means for movement therealong, a supplemental frame structure supported on said carriage frame and having structural members at each side of said support means whereby to straddle said support means, a forming blade for working the fluid concrete suspended beneath said supplemental frame and carried on .the in nermost of said structural members thereof with the side edges of said blade adjacent said inner wall in close proximity thereto with the lower corner edges of said blade positioned at the level of the lower edge of said inner wall, and

guide means included with said support means,

above said track means providing means to guide said carriage along said track means.

2. Apparatus for forming the ground slab of a drainage line including, wall forms positioned in spaced parallel relationship, each of said wall forms comprising an outer wall including track means carried by the outer wall, support means forming a part of said outer wall and projecting to one side thereof opposite that of said track means on the said wall, an inner wall supported by said support means in spaced relationship to said outer wall; a quadrilaterally arranged carriage frame having rollers supporting the frame on said track means for movement therealong, a supplemental frame structure supported on said carriage frame and having structural members at each side or" said support means whereby to straddle said support means, a blade for working fluid concrete suspended beneath said supplemental frame and carried on the innermost of said structural members thereof with the side edges thereof adjacent said inner wall, and guide means included with said support means above said track means providing means to guide said carriage along said track means.

3; An apparatus for forming the ground slab of a drainage line, agwall form consisting of, an outer-wall, support means forming a part or" said outer;'wall and projecting to one side thereof,

an-tinnerwall pivotally connected to said support'means for movement'of the inner wall relative to said outer wall and including means for locking said inner wall in spaced relationship to said outer wall, and a supporting foot means extending from, said outer wall on the side thereof opposite to that of said inner wall for supporting the wall form. t

.4. An apparatus for forming the ground slab of a drainage line, a wall form consisting of, an'

outer wall, support means forming a part of said outer wall and projecting to one side thereof, an inner wall pivotally connected to said support means for movement of the inner wall relative to said outer wall and including means for locking said inner wall in spaced relationship to said outer wall, a supporting foot means extending from said outer wall on the side thereof opposite to that of said inner wall for supporting the wall form, and track means carried by said outer wall on the side thereof opposite to that of said inner wall and above said foot support means. I

5.. An apparatus for forming the ground slab of a drainage line, a wall form consisting of, an outer wall, support means forming a part of said outer wall and projecting to one side thereof, an inner wallpivotally connected to said support means for movement or the inner wall relative to said outer wall and including means for looking said inner wall in spaced relationship to said outer wall, a supporting foot means extending from said outer wall on the side thereof opposite to that or" said inner wall for supporting the wall form, and spaced bracket means carried by said support means intermediate said outer and inner'walls each supporting a part of wedged strip extending longitudinally parallel with said inner and outer walls, whereby to provide for placement or" a metal strip between said inner and outer walls and in spaced parallel relationship thereto.

6. An apparatus for forming the ground slab of a drainage line, a wall form consisting of, a longitudinally extending outer wall, a longitudinally extending foot support for said outer wall, projecting from one side thereof, support means positioned periodically along the length of said outer wall and including means securing said outer wall and said foot support thereto, said support means extending over the top of said outer wall and projecting from one side thereof opposite to that of said foot support, and a longitudinally extending inner wall positioned in spaced parallel relationship with said outer wall and including means pivotally connecting the same to said projecting support for movement of the inner wall relative to the outer wall and further including means for locking said inner wall in spaced relationship to said outer wall.

7. An apparatus for forming the ground slab of a drainage line, a wall form consisting of, a longitudinally extending outer wall, a longitudinally extending foot support for said outer wall projecting from one side thereof, support means positioned periodically along the length of said outer wall and including means securing said outer wall and said foot support thereto, said support means extending over the top of said outer wall and projecting from one side thereof opposite to that of said foot support, and a longitudinally extending inner'wall positioned in spaced parallel relationship with said outer wall and'including means pivotally connecting the same to said projecting support for movement of the inner wall relative to theouterwalland further including means for locking said inner wall to said support means to maintain said inner wall in a fixed spaced relationship to said outer wall.

8. An apparatus for forming the ground slab of a drainage line, a wall form consisting of, a longitudinally extending outer wall, a longitudinally extending foot support for said outer wall projecting from one side thereof, support means positioned periodically along the length of said outer wall and including means securing said outer wall and said foot support thereto, said support means extending over the top of said outer wall and projecting from one side thereof opposite to that of said foot'support, a longitudinally extending inner wallpositioned in spaced parallel relationship with said outer wall and including means pivotally connecting the same to said projecting support for movement of the inner wall relative to the outer wall and further including means for locking said inner wall to said support means to maintain said inner wall in a fixed spaced relationship to said outer wall, and bracket means carried by said support means intermediate the inner and outer walls supporting longitudinally extending filler strips maintained in spaced parallel relationship to each other and in spaced parallel relationship to said inner and outer walls.

9. An apparatus for forming the ground slab 30 end of said support members frame members joining said vertically positioned frame members, other vertically disposed frame members connected with said connecting members at the forward and rearward side of said carriage and positioned inwardly of the carriage relative to said first vertically positioned frame members, said other frame members at the forward side of said carriage being connected at their lower ends with a forming blade having the side edges thereof positioned inwardly of and in spaced relationship to said longitudinally extending support members, and said other frame members at the rearward side of said carriage being connected at their lower ends to a troweling blade having the side edges thereof positioned inwardly of and in spaced relationship to said support members, all parts of the troweling surface of the said troweling blade being positioned in horizontal alignment with the corresponding lower edge surface of said forming blade.

CHARLES H. SHOOK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1 Name Date 1,579,443 Greene Apr. 6, 1926 1,982,387 Heltzel Nov. 27, 1934 2,035,627 West Mar. 31, 1936 2,447,571 Ekenstam Aug. 24, 1948 

